Measurement of baseball glove and hand dynamics

Abstract

An apparatus was developed that provides a dynamic representation of the hand-glove interaction inside a baseball glove during catching situations. Until recent history, baseball manufacturers relied primarily upon player input and practical necessity to develop their technology; the use of scientific exploration was minimal. To add scientific technology to the design of baseball gloves, the project consisted of a sensor glove component and a visual interface, developed to better understand the hand-glove interaction. The sensor glove was created by attaching FlexiForce A201 sensors to a golf glove to fit inside a baseball glove. The sensors measure the forces in a variety of locations on the back and front of the hand. The project resulted in a simple user interface that presents a better representation of the hand-glove interaction and provides a means to better identify characteristics of glove use.